S163P7 – The mind of Christ: the faithful follower

Jn. 15:9-14

As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.  These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.  This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.  You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.

The man was a great coach, and he led his team to many victories on the field.  Two players in particular looked up to him more than the others because of the way he coached and the way he lived.  The coach was committed and driven, and he never lost hope that his team could win every time they went out there.  These two players who admired him so greatly both seemed to follow him, but that was not the case.  Yes, they both made it a point to be around the coach and spend time with him.  They both hung on every word he said.  However, only one of them exhibited what he saw and admired in the coach.  Only one of them took it upon himself to emulate the character of the coach and learn to be like him.

When we think about obedience, it is likely that we think about obeying someone else’s wishes.  We might see this simply as doing as we are told to do.  While doing as one is told certainly is part of obedience, that is not the whole picture when it comes to obeying Christ the way He obeyed the Father.  Jesus not only obeyed the Father’s will, but He also carried the character of his Father.  Jesus did not merely do as the Father said, but He was like the Father in character.  Christ abiding in the Father and telling us to abide in him this way is a command to walk with him and to walk like him.  We cannot say that we love him and follow him but then decide not to be like him.  In fact, we cannot obey him unless we become like him.

According to the laws of physics, two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time.  Luckily, this law does not apply to the spiritual realm.  In its simplest form, to abide simply means to remain.  To abide in Christ and to have him abide in us means that we are joined.  We continually occupy the same spiritual space at the same time.  He lives through us, and that requires that we become like him.  To obey the Lord is to be like the Lord, and then it will be natural for us to obey his commands.  When we walk in the Spirit and abide in Jesus, we will behave as Jesus behaved.  Father, help us understand the true picture of obedience and to walk in it faithfully.